Official: Sociedad confirm Vela deal

Carlos Vela will remain at Real Sociedad after penning a contract extension that will keep him in San Sebastian until 2018.

The Spanish side confirmed the news this morning after finalising an agreement with Arsenal to purchase the Gunners buy-out clause in the Mexican striker’s contract.

Arsenal sold the player to Sociedad two years ago but retained the right to re-sign the 25-year-old for €3.5 million. It had been suggested that Arsene Wenger might exercise that option this summer given Vela’s form and the value he represented, but instead it looks as though we’ll pocket €11 million while retaining a 20% stake in any future transfer fee. There’s also the potential for us to pocket a further €4 million in add ons.

Speaking of the deal Vela remarked: “I always said that this is my home, I’m happy in San Sebastian as I told the [Sociedad] president when he asked my intentions. We knew it would not be easy [to do a deal with Arsenal], but thankfully it’s now resolved and all parties are happy. ”

Earlier in the summer it was mooted that the Gunners might try and use their strong hand to seal a deal for Sociedad’s French international Antoine Griezmann that however, has all gone very quiet with the player away at the World Cup.

All in all, pretty good business by Dick and Ivan who’ve further swelled the Emirates coffers. Now it’s time to flash the cash.

I don’t know. He may have fit well. Sterling and Sturridge are not beasts really and Suarez isn’t a physical force to reckon. So, you never know. Sometimes, a player’s physique makes up for his skills with the ball and other times, it can be the other way around.

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4 years ago

Rufusstan

So good we sold him twice? (to the same team).

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4 years ago

Daft Aider

Good for the lad, we got some more money and he gets to stay where he is happy, now fingers crossed we have some signings hidden away ’til the 10th of July

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4 years ago

Wenger's Coat

Fantastic business.

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4 years ago

TH

Works well for everyone. Pocketed around €15m in total (or thereabouts?) and i reckon that is fair value for him at a top half Spanish club like Sociedad. Certainly cost you that to get someone of his quality thesedays.

Probably doesn’t suit the Prem, wanted to stay out there, we need as much money as possible for the 5 or 6 players we really should be buying this summer. Everyone happy.

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4 years ago

To Pooh is to Do

Ahem.. Looks at FatGooner. Nah. Too much to ask.

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4 years ago

Fatgooner

I will be happy if we actually sign a few decent players. But I’m not confident that our glorious leader will.

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4 years ago

Policeman's Bangers 'N' Mash

FatGooner, changed that repulsive picture for Christ’s sake.

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4 years ago

Springbank 1965

Being nice (but firm) with RS before going in for Griezmann wouldn’t be the worst idea we’ve had.

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4 years ago

ARiddlingName

I don’t think we’ll go for Griezmann. Because quite honestly, instead of this, we could have just asked them to knock off 11-15 (how much ever we’re getting) of their asking price for Griezmann.

Or maybe we’ll still do that by saying their debts (on new Vela payments) get cleared by that.

If we get Sanchez though, I don’t think we’ll go for him.

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4 years ago

Springbank 1965

Right now I’ve absolutely no idea who might be on our list.

What I do know though experience is that it’s unlikely to be any of the players we’re currently linked with in the media.

That said, I’d be happy with most of the France squad especially the likes of Benzema, Griezmann, Valbuena, Pogba … anyone except Lloris or Evra. Obviously, some of these are unrealistic – Benzema has probably done too much this last week alone for RM to let him go unless Suarez arrives and Pogba will stay at Juve for at least another season.

But Griezmann is a top class player who’d strengthen our squad immensely.

Right now, I’m more than happy he’s only getting limited playing time in Brazil.

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4 years ago

Let the Wright one in

With 11 million, Arsene “The Cattle Farmer” Wenger, can buy 22 young guns, fatten them up and sell them on for a few million each

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4 years ago

ARiddlingName

As a 5 year old would say, “That was so bad, it would make an onion cry. “

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4 years ago

According to the laws of Quantum Mechanics, WENGA can be OUT & IN at the same time. So please STOP FIGHTING

I confess : I lol’d.
Now back to fucking work.

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4 years ago

Arsene Wenger

Great Deal! We have more money now, and hopefully we can put it to good use.

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4 years ago

Gunnersaurus

Blimey! €11 million? That’s some very good negotiating.

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4 years ago

rossi88

Who said 11 or 15m exactly??

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4 years ago

Marvix

Yes i said sanchez and can’t wait for the day he will be unveiled at the Emirate…

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4 years ago

Dan Gunn

My biggest concern with signing Sanchez is that he plays for Barcelona…

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4 years ago

Rocky Rocastle

Rumour is Liverpool is also keen on Sanchez, so would not be surprised if he became a part of a deal for Suarez unfortunately.

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4 years ago

Maniac

Not anymore he’s not, after his mid-game snack.

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4 years ago

BillyBatts

I said Alexis ‘Dirty’ Sanchez!

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4 years ago

Petit's Handbag

A new meaning for LANS
Like a new selling

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4 years ago

the ghost of LANS

are we finally entering post-LANS?

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4 years ago

Swedegunner

Diaby disagrees

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4 years ago

Lance

Good deal but when do we start to bring in our new signings. It’s important to conclude these deals early.

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4 years ago

Kenteris

Sanchez is ridiculously good, like top 5 players at the World Cup good. Please by some miracle let us sign him

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4 years ago

glory hunter

I hope im wrong, but i cant see Arsene signing Sanchez.
But then again, i never ever thought that we could sign Ozil

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4 years ago

Rocky Rocastle

I think Sanchez is more likely to end up in Liverpool as part of a deal for Suarez unfortunately. But would be sweet if we could sign him.

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4 years ago

shitbird

Because Barca will want to buy a player who’s going to be banned for the next 15 matches, right?

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4 years ago

To Pooh is to Do

Yup.. Sanchez is good. He takes on defenders and his passings are sublime. Would fit in Arsenal right away..

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4 years ago

SB

I particularly like the last line of the article.

I was pleasantly surprised by his effort to stay on his feet instead of trying to con a penalty around the time the Dutch scored.

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4 years ago

Rad Carrot

Good for the club, good for him. Nice little bit of business there. Can you imagine Sanchez and Balotelli?! That’d be amazing. So, of course, it’s probably not going to happen!

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4 years ago

ogban

Either, not both, of them. Can’t afford them. My preference? Sanchez.

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4 years ago

Rad Carrot

We probably could, assuming we could get both for around £50m. Thing is, Sanchez isn’t a striker – he’s like Walcott, only on the left wing.

I’d agree though, I’d prefer to see Sanchez if it were one or the other. We could stick with Giroud and play either Sanchez, Walcott, Poldi or even Sanogo as a back-up striker.

Refusing to get too excited about that prospect because we’ve been burned in the past! I do hope some deals are done by the end of July, though – none of this waiting until the window is almost closed before we scrape through a deal.

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4 years ago

Finsbury Park Gooner

All this money…….. Maybe the Emirates has some particularly dodgy plumbing that’s a sinkhole for all these funds.

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4 years ago

Aurora

Cesc! 🙁

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4 years ago

To Pooh is to Do

As far as I’m concerned Cesc is now with the enemy. He is no longer our concern. Think of it as your ex going out with the rich kid that you hate and loathe and she knows that. Despite all you being good to her for all those several years through thick and thin, atleast she should have had the decency. Now, the rich kid and you have to fight – not for her, but for the ultimate glory. Sounds like a cliche hollywood movie. Fuck the rich kid, fuck the ex. Eyes only on the price. Who knows – A better looking hot model might be yours after the ultimate glory.

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4 years ago

Morbius

Not quite. He’s more like the gorgeous ex who came round to your place and suggested getting back together, but you said no so then she started going out with the rick kid you hate…..

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4 years ago

arsesicky

the gorgeous ex who whined and moped about her ‘true love’ back in spain, the one she had always loved from her earliest memories. the one ‘true love’ who she then left to try and move back to london. we had a word for girls who hopped from boyfriend to boyfriend like that when I was in school…

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4 years ago

Kos the boss

Get over cesc. He’s a reject. Wenger doesn’t want him, pep doesn’t want him, and last night del bosque played cazorla and koke ahead of cesc which shows even he doesn’t want to play him and surely that means we have a better player than cesc in cazorla. And oh we have Ozil!

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4 years ago

TheRealGerald

I don’t know what Sociedad has done to us in the past but damn do we stick it up them every time we do business. €11mil, 20% of his future sale and €4mil in add ons?! Did the boss of Sociedad sleep with Dick Law’s wife?

Brilliant business, he didn’t want to come back so getting cash was the best thing. I reckon we could see 2-3 signings all close together post WC, Aurier and Balotelli looking the most likely right now…

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4 years ago

o2ba

Good all round business.

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4 years ago

Cygan's Magical Left Foot

Our bank manager is the happiest Gooner.

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4 years ago

da gooner

Well done Arsenal!. We are the masters of profit making.

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4 years ago

DB10**

Stop teasing with that Alexis name dropping blogger. It’s a long summer for Arsenal fans. And Arsene does nothing to make fans happy.

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4 years ago

AQUI

I personally enjoy his commentary at TF1.

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4 years ago

Arsepedant

And I thought the FA Cup made quite a lot of people happy.

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4 years ago

gunner for ever

Very nice job by arsenal.credit goes to AW and the management for being so visionary and hard on bargains.i really hope that our team will buy 4 new players.get it correct and make us hope more for the new season.
come on you gunners!!!!

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4 years ago

AllGunsABlazin

We’ve probably already signed some players, we just can’t announce it until the new Puma kit is officially launched…

Which is taking too damn long by the way

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4 years ago

bournecain

Early July. 2 more weeks of wait.

And as I said before, I think the deals are either completely done or are in the final stages of negotiations. AW is just waiting so that players can concentrate on the World Cup.

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4 years ago

Maniac

That’s the excuse we’re getting now. Just two more weeks till we get the next one! Can’t wait!

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4 years ago

Wengerburger

More dough for Balo !!!

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4 years ago

voldermort

Great bit of business. But then selling players has never been a problem for us.

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4 years ago

Parisian Weetabix

I think Barca would be mad to sell Sanchez given the depth of their squad, but if they did then surely we have to sign him in a heartbeat. His performance against the Neths was possibly the best individual performance I’ve see at the World Cup so far, given the circumstances. He was playing in a fairly blunt team, being constantly hounded by Daley Blind, yet he was honest (except for one dive), he worked his socks off, and his ability on the ball was immaculate.

This is in contrast to Messi who seems to go missing for the majority of games. Sanchez’s perseverance in the face of adversity was amazing, and if we could have him playing for us we’d be dramatically improved.

Also I think I am going to absolutely hate Van Gaal next season 🙁

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4 years ago

Wengernomics

Wengernomics at it’s finest.

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4 years ago

Al Gilmore

Great business. You can be cynical of course and say that it’s all to go towards Kroenke’s cigar fund (I don’t even know if he smokes), but I just think it’s an extension of how we do business. We negotiate. Hard. We don’t pay the first price a club demands and we don’t fold at the first offer a clubs makes. Yes I know there are instances where it doesn’t seem like that, and instances where it perhaps has hurt us. But it’s business. And for everyone who goes on and on about the 100mill+ in the bank – well…how did it get there? By the club being careful. Yes, it needs spending now. I fully believe a large chunk is going to be spent this summer. Not saying we will get all our targets, not saying everyone will be bowled over by every signing, but there will be signings and I reckon at least one will be a ‘wow’ like Ozil was.

A year late. Yes. A least one player, one year too late. I think we just couldn’t get the long-term target we wanted once the Higuain deal fell through (again a victim of hard bargaining perhaps if stories are to be believed). And then we couldn’t get the loan signing we wanted (Ba, Kalou). So I predict that we will get a big name striker. Maybe the one we didn’t get last year, maybe someone else.

I’d like the people that criticise Wenger’s buying to look around and see how many players both at the club or who have left that have made it at a high level – even if they had to leave to do it. Including Vela. But also the likes of Gervinho – a victim of the boo boys if you ask me. Wenger’s eye for talent does not deserve to be rubbished. Bearing that in mind, if we sign some nobody from France for 10mill, don’t immediately boo him for not being ‘insert player name’.

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4 years ago

rossi88

Di Maria, Aurier and Balotelli with a dash of Sven Bender…..to good to be true.

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4 years ago

Arsepedant

Yep.

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4 years ago

heihaci

wages for Alexis Sanchez who is a superior player than Vela

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4 years ago

Siz C

Sanchez or Di Maria???? ….. I cudnt pick between the two

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4 years ago

Chaaay

Great business from us, good deal for Sociedad and Vela is happy everyone wins!

On Sanchez I would love if we got him top top player with blistering pace, skill and he is a great finisher. He does play upfront for Chile but I would see us playing him on right and maybe it will be the time to move Walcott upfront? Obviously we don’t know how he would be after his injury but he has always wanted to be the front man. I mean look at what’s happened with Sturridge at Liverpool since he has no longer been played on the wings.

Walcott
Cazorla-Ozil-Sanchez

Imagine that front four! I would love to see it happen please.

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4 years ago

goonerbynature

Great business, but I’m really curious: doesn’t this constitute part-ownership, which Premier League clubs are banned from?

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4 years ago

_

What in particular do you think constitutes part-ownership? Neither sell-on fee nor add-ons are nowhere close to part-ownership.

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4 years ago

goonerbynature

True, but a 50% sell-on fee (which was subsequently bought out) seems, when you bring it down to brass tacks, like owning 50% of his rights.

In particular because this renegotiation seems to have been announced like a signing, with the official statement being “Real Sociedad have reached an agreement with Arsenal FC which will allow Carlos Vela to continue at the club on a permanent basis.”

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4 years ago

Andy Mack

If we had control over the price that RS sell Vela on for, that would be part ownership.
As we have no control but get a cut of whatever they negotiate, that’s a sell on.

The buy back would be more interesting, but could we force a buy back or was it that we have first option. If Vela is top scorer in La Liga next year then his price could easily be 30m+, so the rumoured €11m isn’t a bad gamble for RS.

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4 years ago

_

No, you ‘own’ something if you can do something with it, which is not the case with Arsenal and Vela. We are entitled to get some money from his sale, that’s all. The buy-back clause is a bit more interesting though, it means we do not own him, but if we at (presumably) any point decided to pay 3.5m, then RS would be obliged to sell and _then_ we would own him.
And of course, the fact how it was announced doesn’t matter the slightest bit.

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4 years ago

goonerbynature

Makes sense, should have thought of that. Cheers.

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4 years ago

Toni

I think our main target would be strengthening the defence. You can win games the boring way with 1 goal margins as long as you don’t concede. Back up keeper, CB,) before DM, then finally, more firepower.

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4 years ago

Belfast Gooner

I think we need a big imposing defensive midfielder for definate. What defined our Premier League season was the big defeats away at Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton, City, and the defeat against a poor United. With an imposing midfielder sitting in front of the back four it would make us more difficult to break down. Not sure who I would go for or who is available. Ive always liked Nigel De Jong as adding aggression to his team but I dont know if he would suit us and he isnt imposing height wise.

We also need to add pace as once Walcott got injured we struggled to break out against teams. Sanchez would fit the bill here to. AS far as Im concerned teh jury is out on Balotelli. Sure he is a top class striker but our dressing room has looked united overthe past season or so and I think the introduction of a character like him cud create problems. After getting rid of the likes of Gallas and Nasri I dont think the Manager would want ot go down that road again.

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4 years ago

Andy Mack

With our luck the ‘imposing’ DM that will fix all our issues, will be injured for those games next season.

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4 years ago

tdotgoonah

BBC reporting that it is 12 million pounds – not euros we have netted – which is incredible. further to that, pretty sure we are getting money on the Cesc sale, plus “other” sales, coquelein, aneke – could add up.

alexis sanchez and balotelli – I can see that happening. it isn’t unreasonable. di maria is touted with a move, and although brilliant…what afc needs is goals. Sanchez scores more than di maria and can create. not saying one or the other is better, but for what arsenal require, just my take sanchez would be a better candidate.

as for balotelli – we need some more attitude in this team, I like it…fingers crossed. I’m staying glass half-full (never expected we’d sign ozil!) — COYG!

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4 years ago

Andy Mack

€11m or £12m is all rumour / guessing.
It could just as likely be €12m including the £3.5m (rumoured) original fee.
But the bottom line is that it’s more cash for a player that doesn’t want to play for us, so it’s all good.

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4 years ago

Bouldy's Tupee

Alexis Sanchez needs a support striker that’s why he plays so well up front next Messi or Vargas. Alexis cannot play the lone striker role.
Vela dea…I’m impressed. Now let’s buy some players!!!

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4 years ago

heavens

Suarez has bitten again!!!

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4 years ago

Tony Hall

If he has he needs psychological help and a lengthy ban. I am so glad we didn’t sign him. No matter how good he is, he is damaged goods. That is 3 times he has bitten a player!

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4 years ago

Tony Hall

Well the video footage is pretty damning. He clearly bites the shoulder of the Italian chap and the bite marks are painfully visible in the footage. And then he fakes an injury to draw attention away from what he has done. He knows he has fucked up big time!
Can’t see Liverpool defending him again but then maybe he is trying to engineer a move like the first time he bit someone. He really has issues!

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4 years ago

Gutbukket Deffrolla

Liverpool fans are already defending him to the hilt of Football365 (though not, it must be admitted, in the same overwhelming numbers they did last time).

“It’s not as if it’s a serious thing like breaking somebody’s legs”.

Plonkers won’t say that when he bites Gerrard next season while playing for Barca.

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4 years ago

Arsepedant

I wish he’d bitten Balotelli instead of that whining cunt Chiellini. Balotelli would simply have ripped his fucking head off and shit down the hole.

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4 years ago

Andy Mack

Chiellini could have done that but doesn’t want a ban.
I’m not sure if Balo is that sensible.

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4 years ago

shitbird

God I just about fell out of my chair laughing when I saw that. He fucking bit someone. Again!

With Bitey Racist’s latest bite, everyone is going to forget how awful Balotelli was. Balotelli had to get pulled at halftime of an extremely important match so he wouldn’t get sent off. He wasn’t ready to play from the start, then got a stupid yellow card, and if he came out for the second half he surely would have gotten another yellow. It’s the kind of thing that happens again and again with him.

Suarez shows that leopards don’t change their spots. Once a psycho, always a psycho. And Balotelli is one too. Balotelli can’t be trusted, he is capable of sinking his team at any time.

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4 years ago

Tony Hall

I don’t want either of them. Sanchez or Benzema would do!

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4 years ago

Atletico Islington

Easier said than done, they both play for richer, more competitive clubs than Balotelli does.

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4 years ago

Arsepedant

Thing is, Balotelli tends to be psycho off the pitch as opposed to on it, and he’s never done anything that would rate anywhere near a ten game ban (let alone a ban as long as the one Suarez is sure to get). Has anyone actually followed Balotelli’s career at Juventus? Does he seem to have settled down at all? I haven’t heard of any incidents, but I haven’t been looking all that hard either. I’d be perfectly happy if we signed him.

Balotelli is nuts but can perform on the big stage. A trio of Balotelli, Cambell and Theo in attack supported by Ozil and Ramsey is simply awesome. We just better get a quality DM.

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4 years ago

Atletico Islington

Although I feel that we still need some signings, particularly for some key areas, this World Cup has made me so much more optimistic about our squad. Giroud’s sprinting around the pitch and looking far more energetic and dangerous now that he’s not playing 90 minutes week in week out, Campbell looks like an immense talent and he’s delivered in the big games, Ozil’s looking deadly, and Wilshere, Cazorla and the Ox, all of whom needed recovery time, won’t be tired out by the World Cup. And the icing on the cake? The World Cup itself has been an absolute epic so far.

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4 years ago

Runkeball

Please no fucking Balotelli! Let’s have Mandzukic.

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4 years ago

meletios

No Balotelli or Mandzukic…both are not good for the team for different reasons.

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4 years ago

Runkeball

OK. So what’s wrong with Mandzukic?

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4 years ago

Sydney Gooner

There’s nothing wrong with Mandzukic, but he’s a very similar type of player to Giroud. We need something different, someone with pace and someone who can take on defenders. Sanchez would be perfect.

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4 years ago

Arsene's Apologist

Balotelli is overrated by a good 15m. Sanchez and Campbell up front, then focus on the depth in back. Would love a true DM but don’t see one around who’s available and worth it. But it doesn’t need to be a glitzy position anyhow so may find a gem for cheap.

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4 years ago

gooners n roses

I know that guy just signed an extension with Bayern, but damnit let me have that Thomas Mueller out of many people. His mental strength alone will rub off the rest of his teammates. Esp during big games.

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4 years ago

Runkeball

Muller has shown some prowess in the art of diving during the world cup as well. If that’s what we want then sure why not. I’d still rather him than Balotelli.

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4 years ago

Atletico Islington

Good luck signing one of Bayern Munich’s key players.

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4 years ago

Trez

Mandzukic is better than giroud anyday of the week. Better finisher, has pace and even a better header of the ball. But since wenger loves giroud for no good reason, then sanchez would be the best option since benz is out the market.